Chapter Nine - The Twins

AN: Translations will be posted at the bottom of the chapter in case you need them.

The Twins

Liam was long gone when I woke, the space beside me cold and empty.

I stare up at the ceiling and debate whether or not I should just stay in bed. It's not like I can go anywhere else.

My stomach rumbles loudly.

It's nearly ten and I'm starving. There was no breakfast tray when I woke up this morning - just a glass of apple juice and more Ibuprofen. I wonder if I'm being punished for attempting to escape.

Something good wafts through the air. Bacon. I love bacon. My mouth starts to water.

Damn it.

I inhale deeply through my nose. Waffles. I can definitely smell waffles. When did my sense of smell become so acute?

Hungry.

Me too.

With a little growl I get up and walk to the bedroom door. I'll yell and scream if I have to but I want food. The one thing you don't do is get between me and waffles.

I raise my hand - intending to bang on the door - when I hesitate and decide to try and open it instead. Wrapping my hand around the doorknob I nearly let out a gasp of excitement when it turns and the door opens...just like that.

Opening the door, I step out into a long hallway lined with windows on one side and doors on the other. I can't believe the door was unlocked. If I can find a way out of here...

Not again.

I can practically hear my wolf rolling her eyes.

"Hush," I whisper.

Try it. Our alpha will catch us.

Now she sounds excited. She wants to be caught.

I shudder with a strange sense of anticipation, remembering the look in Liam's eyes after my last attempt. And the way he rubbed all over me.

Did I want to be caught too?

We both do.

Now I'm the one rolling my eyes. I did not want to be caught by Liam. I want to get as far away from him as possible.

Liar.

I sigh with exasperation. "I liked it better when you didn't talk as much."

Uh-huh.

I shake my head in bemusement. My wolf has been speaking more and more since Liam's bite. Oddly, I'm growing used to her quickly. She's a natural part of me and I'm beginning to enjoy her company...even if she is a smartass.

I love you too.

Chuckling despite myself I decide to at least 'explore' my prison. Stepping out into the hallway I follow it, awestruck by how massive this place really is. And beautiful, decorated with old paintings and antique furniture. The dark wood moldings were hand carved and obviously someone had put a lot of love into building this place. Even with the faded wallpaper and worn wooden floors it has a certain charm and elegance.

At the end of the hall is another set of stairs which takes me down another hallway. This one branches off into two more hallways with multiple doors. I decide to go left, but as I walk I begin to worry if I'm even heading the right way. Despite how massive this place is it's eerily quiet.

After taking a second left turn I realize that I am indeed lost.

Just great.

I must be the worst in history at escaping.

Escaping?

Cough. Cough. I meant exploring.

You are the worst at lying too.

"Shut up," I mutter.

"You lost, chère?" a smooth male voice drawls from behind me.

I turn around with a small yelp. A tall muscular man is standing behind me with a smirk on his lips. He looks scary and even more wild than Liam. He's undeniably handsome, his dirty blonde hair slicked back from his face. A closely trimmed beard covers his firm jaw and chin and both his ears are pierced with little black gauges. There's a light scar over his right eyebrow and nose, which makes him look even scarier.

Even without his hazel eyes turning blue I know he's another werewolf. What is with these wolves and sneaking up on me?

"I wasn't trying to escape," I blurt.

His smirk widens to a grin. "Of course not. You learned your lesson last time, no?"

I nod.

Crossing his arms, he survey's me top to bottom. He's wearing a black t-shirt, displaying powerful biceps and forearms decorated in tattoos. "Tiny thing are you not?"

What the hell? This crap about my size is really starting to piss me off. Granted, I'm engulfed in Liam's clothes so I no doubt look small and ridiculous, but he didn't have to point it out.

"I'm not a child," I snap.

He raises a brow, taking a step towards me. "Didn't say you were, ma chère."

My heartbeat quickens. "Oh..."

His eyes dance over me, lighting with clear interest. "I can see why alpha struggles."

What does that mean?

Our mate wants us.

He doesn't. He's made that perfectly clear. And Liam is not my mate as far as I'm concerned...

Unconsciously, my hand raises to the mark on my neck. The scary werewolf's eyes follow, flashing briefly to bright blue. "He marked you hard, no?" His speech pattern and accent is strange. I can't seem to place it.

"Yes," I grate, dropping my hand.

He takes another step, closing the distance between us. Cupping my chin in a big warm hand, he turns my head, inspecting my neck. "Would not have taken you so roughly." His thumb brushes over my mark. "Would have been gentle with one as sweet as you."

I blush at the suggestion in his tone. As attractive as this man is my body doesn't react to him the way it does towards Liam.

Dropping his hand, he steps back. "Come. You look starved." He beckons me with his hand. "Can't let my little queen go hungry."

His queen?

He is beta.

What the hell does that mean?

He leaves and I follow like a puppet on a string. He leads me to an open landing over a large foyer. It's gorgeous, like something out of a movie. There are two staircases running on either side leading to the first floor. The entrance way is a double door, made of a dark wood and curved at the top. On either side of the door are floor to ceiling ornate windows. My neck cranes as I look upward. Over the foyer hangs the largest crystal chandelier I've ever seen and I wonder how they clean it.

I'm paying so much attention to the damn chandelier that I miss a step and fall forward, slamming into the scary werewolf's back. For a moment I see stars. The man is like stone.

He turns and helps me to right myself. "Clumsy, no?" he tisks.

I scowl. "I'm not clumsy!"

Yes, you are.

He doesn't need to know that!

He chuckles, the sound deep and smooth. "Fiery too. Alpha will have fun with you."

"You're not taking me back to the room?" I ask absently as we descend the stairs and head for a door on the right. I can smell food and my stomach growls again.

He glances over his shoulder with a raised brow. "Do you want me to?"

"No," I answer quickly.

Through the door is a dining room with a long table. My eyes grow wide. There's a ton of breakfast food laid out buffet style.

I think I just found heaven.

From a door towards the back enters another male carrying plates. He stops when he spots me, giving me a wide smile. "Good morning."

My eyes widen even more as I stare between him and the scary werewolf. The two of them would be identical if they weren't so opposite. Where scary wolf looks like he belongs on the back of a Harley this guy looks like a professor. His hair is cut neat and he's wearing a dark grey sweater with patches on the elbows and corduroy pants. His appears just as strong as his counterpart, but not nearly as rugged. He doesn't have a scar and his face is clean shaven.

Noticing my gawking the professor wolf sets the plates down with a chuckle. "Like seeing night and day." His voice is just as smooth and charming as his twins.

"Sorry, it's just...wow," I stammer.

He gives me an amused look. "Did my brother even introduce himself or just grunt like a cave man?"

Before I can answer the scary werewolf wraps an arm around my shoulders. "Tell my brother I was a gentleman, chère," he purrs.

I give scary werewolf a look. "A gentleman would have told me his name."

He cocks his head. Then laughs, the sound deep in his chest. I can't help but blush, scary werewolf could be quite charming. "Touché. My name is Roland Landry and this is my twin brother Samuel."

Samuel motions for me to sit. "Come and eat."

He doesn't have to tell me twice. "Okay." Taking a seat, I immediately go for the waffles.

Sitting across from me Roland laughs again. "A girl who knows what she wants."

Samuel sits beside his brother, watching me with amusement. "How are you feeling?"

Dousing my waffles in syrup I shrug. "Hungry." Forking a piece of waffle into my mouth I all but groan. It's delicious.

Samuel eyes the mark on my neck. "Bit her kind of hard, no?"

"That's what I said," Roland grunts, piling his plate with bacon. "Not surprising. Alpha's wolf is wild."

Samuel frowns over at his brother as the other man adds eggs and sausage to his place. "Hush." Turning his attention back towards me Samuel asks, "Are you in any pain?"

I shake my head, snagging some bacon off a plate. "Only a little. It hurt a lot more yesterday."

Spooning eggs onto his plate Samuel sighs. "That's unfortunate but I'm glad you're finally healing quickly. I know Alpha Liam was quite worried."

I pause with another piece of waffle half raised to my mouth. "He was?"

Samuel nods. "Seeing you in pain was very upsetting for him."

"He was mess," Roland adds. "Never seen him like that. Practically ripped the pack doctors head off to relieve the pain."

I stare at the two of them in surprise. Was that why Liam drugged me? Because he couldn't stand to see me suffering? I'm dying to know but instead I ask, "So you guys are werewolves too, then?"

"We're betas of the pack," Roland answers.

"What does that mean?" I ask, feeling foolish.

"It means we are the alphas first in command," Samuel tells me. "We lead the pack. Along with Jin. He is also a beta."

"You mean that guy who doesn't talk?" I ask.

Both Roland and Samuel chuckle.

"That's correct," Samuel says. "He's not so bad once you get to know him."

I'm not so sure about that. "Yea? What's his story?"

"He's Liam's adopted brother," Roland says between bites. "Alpha's parents found him running wild in rural Japan. The locals thought he was a demon."

"A demon?" I repeat.

"It took cent-" Samuel jabbed Roland in the ribs, causing the other man to cough on a piece of toast. "Uh...years for his human side to gain control."

"His wolf is very dominant and is constantly trying to gain control over the human side of him," Samuel says. "That's why Jin wears the headphones. The music helps to placate his wolf. But if they ever come off..."

"You better run," Roland finishes for his brother. "His wolf is feral and powerful. Only alpha can bring him down."

"I see..." He sounds scary.

"Don't worry," Roland drawls, reading my expression. "Jin protects the pack and that includes you, ma petite chère."

I flush. "What accent is that?" It's not French but something else, more southern.

"We're Cajun," Samuel answers.

Roland wags his eyebrows at me. "The lovers of the south."

Samuel rolls his eyes. "Keep it up and Alpha Liam is going to kick your ass."

Taking a bite of sausage Roland grins. "Not worried."

"You should be," Liam's voice growls from the doorway.

******

Ca·junˈkājən/noun1.a member of any of the largely self-contained communities in the bayou areas of southern Louisiana formed by descendants of French Canadians, speaking an archaic form of French.

Ma chère  - My dear.

Ma petite chère - My little dear.